Memorial to the victims of Communism or Monument to the victims of Communism (Memorial to the victims of Communism, Czech name: Pomník obětem komunismu) is a memorial to the victims of the political regime in Prague.
The memorial is also called the "Monument to Communism".
The memorial is located in the center of Prague, on the left bank of the Vltava River, at the foot of the Petrin Hill, on which green gardens and the Petrin Tower are spread out, which is a smaller copy of the Eiffel Tower and at the top of which there is an observation deck.
The memorial was created in memory of the victims of the Communist era between 1948 and 1989, and opened on May 22, 2002, twelve years after the fall of communism in the Eastern Bloc.
It is the work of Czech sculptor Albram Zoubek and architects Jan Kerel and Zdenek Holzel.
The memorial depicts large bronze nude human figures standing on the steps of a staircase, where each of the sculptures is at a different stage of human destruction - some of the sculptures have no limbs, while others are being destroyed or have already been almost completely destroyed.
The figures in the monument symbolize how political prisoners suffered from communism, and also show the suffering of prisoners, their courage and resilience.
A bronze stripe runs up the stairs in the center of the memorial, showing the estimated number of victims of communism:
"205,486 arrested
170,938 people were deported and forced to leave the country
4,500 died in prison
327 killed while trying to escape
248 executed"
Next to the monument there is a bronze plaque with the words: "The memorial to the victims of Communism is dedicated to all the victims, not only those who were imprisoned or shot, but also those whose lives were ruined by totalitarian despotism."
At the sight of the memorial, people have different feelings: from grief and some bewilderment, to pride from getting rid of the communist regime. However, one thing is for sure - this memorial is "terrifyingly charming".
Practical information
The memorial to the victims of Communism is located on Uezd Street, directly opposite Vitezna Street (Vítězna St) in the Mala Strana district (Mala Strana, Small Town), at the address: Ujezd 420/14, 118 00 Mala Strana, Czech Republic.
Coordinates of the memorial: 50°04'52.0"N 14°24'15.0"E (50.081111, 14.404167).
The memorial is free to visit and is open 24 hours a day.
All accommodation facilities in Prague (hotels, apartments, guest houses, etc.), including in the city center and more remotely from it, can be viewed and booked here
